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manaus, brazil — The river port in the Amazon rainforest's largest city of Manaus on Friday hit its lowest level since 1902, as a drought drains waterways and snarls transport of grain exports and essential supplies that are the region's lifeline. Below-average rainfall — even through the rainy season — has plagued the Amazon and much of South America since last year, also feeding the worst wildfires in more than a decade in Brazil and Bolivia. Millions of hectares of forest and farmland have burned in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru as well. The same extreme heat and dryness that is driving the surging fires in the Amazon is impacting neighboring Pantanal, the world's largest wetlands. Bolivia is also on track to break a record for the most fires ever recorded, according to data from Brazil's space research agency. The Amazon basin, usually one of the wettest places on Earth, is experiencing its worst fires in nearly two decades, according to the European Union's Copernicus Observatory. And last week, satellite images from the National Institute for Space Research showed 80% of Brazil affected by smoke. Researchers say climate change is the main culprit behind wildfires and the drought. Scientists predict the Amazon region may not fully recover moisture levels until 2026. Last year, the drought became a humanitarian crisis, as people reliant on rivers were stranded without food, water or medicine. This year authorities are already on alert. In hard-hit Amazonas state, at least 62 municipalities are under states of emergency with more than half a million people affected, according to the state's civil defense corps. "This is now the most severe drought in over 120 years of measurement at the Port of Manaus," said Valmir Mendonca, the port's head of operations, who said the river level is likely to keep falling for another week or two. With the region never fully recovering because of weaker-than-usual seasonal rains, many of the impacts of the drought last year look set to repeat or reach new extremes. The Port of Manaus measured the Rio Negro at 12.66 meters Friday, according to its website, surpassing the previous all-time low recorded last year and still falling rapidly. The Rio Negro is a major tributary of the Amazon River, the world's largest river by volume. The port sits near the "meeting of the waters" where the black water of the Negro meets the sandy-colored Solimoes, which also hit a record low this week. Grain shipments have been halted on the Madeira River, another tributary of the Amazon, because of low water levels, a port association said last month. Researchers are again finding the carcasses of Amazon freshwater river dolphins, which they blame on thinning waters driving the threatened species into closer contact with humans. National disaster monitoring agency Cemaden has already called the drought Brazil's worst such event since at least the 1950s. The drought has also sapped hydropower plants, Brazil's main source of electricity. Energy authorities have approved bringing back daylight saving time to conserve electricity, although the measure still requires presidential approval. The extreme weather and dryness are affecting much of South America, with the Paraguay River also at an all-time low. That river starts in Brazil and flows through Paraguay and Argentina to the Atlantic.

london — With an escalating war in the Middle East, uncertainty over Western military aid for Ukraine, and the U.S. presidential election looming next month, new NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has no time to settle in. The former Dutch prime minister was appointed to the role at a ceremony at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, where he told delegates that "there can be no lasting security in Europe without a strong, independent Ukraine," and affirmed that "Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO." On Thursday, Rutte was welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Kyiv. Zelenskyy wasted no time in relaying his demands. "We have discussed the most urgent needs of our troops, the weapons and the recruitment to the brigades," Zelenskyy said at a news conference alongside Rutte on Thursday. "We will have more time today to discuss more details on how to strengthen Ukraine's positions on the front so that we can exert more pressure on Russia in order to support just and realistic diplomacy. That is why we need sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, including long-range weapons, the decision on which, in my opinion, our Western partners are delaying," he told reporters. Ukraine wants to use Western long-range missiles on targets inside Russia. The U.S. and other allies are holding back, fearing escalation with Moscow. NATO's new secretary-general made his position clear. "Ukraine obviously has the right to defend itself and international law is on the side of Ukraine, meaning that this right does not end at the border. Russia is pursuing this illegal war … targeting Russian fighter jets and missiles before they can be used against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure can help save lives," Rutte told reporters. Ukraine's president was asked whether he feared the world was forgetting about his country, amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. "I wish that Ukraine is not forgotten," Zelenskyy said. "And the best way to show this is by giving particular weapons, by giving particular permissions. And help to shoot down hostile drones — by the way, the same Iranian rockets and drones — to shoot them down the same way as they are shot down in the sky of Israel. Do the same over the skies of Ukraine." Rutte is a longtime ally of Ukraine, noted analyst Armida van Rij, a senior research fellow at the London-based think tank Chatham House. "While he was prime minister of the Netherlands, he was very supportive of Ukraine. He's the one who signed off on the F-16s [fighter jets] deal for Ukraine as well. So, there is that history of support," van Rij told VOA. However, Rutte is facing headwinds as he tries to boost military support for Ukraine among NATO allies. Next month, U.S. voters will choose a new president: Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. Rutte said he would work with whoever is elected — but neither outcome will be straightforward, said van Rij. "There is a real risk for Ukraine that Trump may try to force Ukraine's hand and force Ukraine to capitulate to Russia, which would be terrible for European security. That's the first challenge. But the second challenge is even if Vice President Harris were to win the U.S. elections, she may still face a divided Congress and she may still struggle to pass aid packages in support for Ukraine through Congress." Either scenario would require European NATO allies to step up their military aid. "And there again, there's challenges because many countries have depleted their stocks. They've given as much as they feel comfortable with at this point. What I would like to see is to think through some of the practical ways in which we can advance EU and NATO collaborations specifically on this issue of developing a European defense industrial base," van Rij told VOA. There are fears in Europe that a victory for Trump could upend the United States' relationship with NATO. "Like [former NATO Secretary-General Jens] Stoltenberg, Rutte is known as a 'Trump whisperer.' He is one of the few European politicians who developed a good working relationship with Donald Trump. However, a potential second Trump term could prove much more disruptive, with less U.S. aid to Ukraine, more concessions to Russia and further questioning of the value of NATO," said Oana Lungescu, a distinguished fellow at Britain's Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and a former NATO spokesperson, in an email to VOA. The Kremlin said this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin knew Rutte well from his time as Dutch prime minister. "At that time there were hopes of building good pragmatic relations," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a phone call Tuesday. "But we know what followed — the Netherlands adopted a rather defiant attitude to fully exclude all contacts with Russia. So, we don't think that anything new or significant will happen with the policy of the [NATO] alliance," Peskov said. Meanwhile, Rutte takes the helm of NATO as it faces an increasingly assertive China. "On Ukraine, everyone's very much on the same line. On China, there's still some allies saying, 'We're not sure we need to quite go into the Indo-Pacific theater.' In a scenario where U.S. resources and capabilities are drawn elsewhere, i.e., the Indo-Pacific, Europeans have to be able to fend for themselves — including look after Ukraine in the current short-term scenario," van Rij told VOA. Rutte said another priority would be to strengthen NATO's partnerships with allies outside the alliance in an interconnected world. His primary focus must be on keeping NATO members safe, said Lungescu of RUSI. "As NATO secretary-general, Rutte must take the lead in arguing for more defense spending across the alliance," Lungescu said. "He should make a strong case not just about figures and percentages, but about the concrete capabilities that are needed to keep NATO nations safe in a dangerous world."

kampala, uganda — The chief of Uganda’s defense forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has given U.S. Ambassador William Popp until Monday morning to apologize or leave the country. It is not clear why Kainerugaba, who is President Yoweri Museveni’s son, issued the ultimatum to the ambassador, although this week the United States sanctioned four Ugandan police officers for human rights violations. On Friday, Kainerugaba took to X three times to say Uganda was about to have a serious confrontation with Popp for “disrespecting our beloved and celebrated president and for undermining the constitution of Uganda.” Five hours later, Kainerugaba tweeted again, saying if Popp did not apologize to the president personally by 9 a.m. Monday for what the general called Popp’s undiplomatic behavior, the government would demand that he leave. Speaking to VOA, Sewanyana Livingstone, director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative Uganda, said Kainerugaba has no authority to declare Popp persona non grata unless he is appointed minister of foreign affairs. Sewanyana said Kainerugaba’s comments should be dismissed. “He needs to calm down. He needs to understand that Uganda is not him, neither is he Uganda,” Sewanyana said. “Uganda will always be there. Sanctions are not the functions of an ambassador. They are issued by the State Department. So, I think he is even targeting the wrong person. I think Ugandans need to call him to order. It’s high time.” On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said four Ugandan police officers had been sanctioned for gross violations of human rights. These included torture and cruel inhumane treatment and punishment. The police officers were identified as Bob Kagarura, Alex Mwine, Elly Womanya and Hamdani Twesigye. The State Department said reports of the violations as documented by Ugandan civil court documents, civil society organizations and independent journalists were serious and credible. Ugandan authorities did not respond to requests for comment. A report released last month by the African Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, or ACTV, noted that torture cases in Uganda were on the rise despite laws against the practice. Herbert Sam Nsubuga, executive director of ACTV, said the organization was concerned about the situation in Uganda. “The situation is not as good as we want it to be,” Nsubuga said. “Because just halfway this year, we have made 903 cases. So, it’s still really an issue.” In 2023, monitors in Uganda recorded 1,235 cases of torture, with the Uganda People’s Defense forces and police as top perpetrators. The four designated officers in April 2020 raided a Ugandan legislator's home, accusing him of violating the regulations put in place to control the spread of COVID-19 as he distributed food to vulnerable communities. According to records produced in court, the legislator, Francis Zaake, was arrested and detained at the Defense Intelligence and Security headquarters, where he was tortured before he was left at a hospital. He later sued the four officers, and a court awarded him $20,400. In response to VOA questions on Kainerugaba’s threats, the U.S. Embassy in Uganda quoted State Department spokesman Miller as saying the embassy, the ambassador and the U.S. government were continuing to work directly and normally every day with Ugandan authorities on a full range of issues. Miller said in accordance with U.S. law, the United States was committed to supporting justice for victims and accountability of those involved in human rights violations around the world. This, he said, includes denying or restricting travel visas to visit the United States for individuals when there is demonstrated evidence that they have committed abuses.

new delhi / washington — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over a Cabinet meeting on security Friday to address the escalating conflict in the Middle East. According to Press Trust of India, the meeting focused on the implications on trade and the supply of petroleum products. India expressed grave concern regarding the escalation of the security situation involving Israel and its neighbors, emphasizing that "the conflict must not take a wider regional dimension." In view of the increasing tensions, the question is how India will balance its relations with all parties if the situation becomes worse. Analysts in New Delhi say India should adopt a neutral stance, especially if the situation worsens and a formal war breaks out between Iran and Israel. India's major concern is a potential extended disruption in trade. Traders worldwide are preparing for this, as the crucial Red Sea shipping route could stay closed to international shipping lines longer than initially expected, likely keeping freight rates and petroleum prices elevated. Former Indian diplomat Rajiv Dogra told VOA that if the situation got more tense, it would affect the supply chain, imports and exports, and India's interests in the region. Dogra said that big powers were trying to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate, and that India was also trying to establish peace. Journalist and author Nilofar Suhrawardy told VOA there would not be a formal war. Suhrawardy referred to U.S. President Joe Biden's statement that said that the Israeli reaction to the Iranian attack should be proportionate. She said the Iranian ballistic missile attack Tuesday on Israel was in reaction to the September 27 killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the militant group's headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon. But if there is a full-scale war, what will be India's stand? Analysts said India would take a neutral stand. According to Suhrawardy, India has good relations with Israel, Iran, Arab countries and the Palestinians, so it will not take any party's side. She said she believed the policy India adopted in the Ukraine-Russia conflict would be applied to the Israel-Iran conflict, too. Modi has spoken to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the past two weeks. On September 23, he met Abbas in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Modi spoke to Netanyahu by phone on Monday. The Indian leader condemned terrorism and urged the release of citizens held hostage by Hamas. This story originated in VOA's Urdu Service.

new york — The United Nations secretary-general joined the Haitian prime minister Friday in strongly condemning a horrific overnight gang attack on a town outside Haiti's capital that killed at least 70 people, including at least 10 women and three infants. "The criminals responsible for these abominable acts will be hunted down and brought to justice, without respite," Prime Minister Garry Conille said in a statement. Haiti's transition government said members of the Gran Grif gang perpetrated the attack in the town of Pont Sonde in the Artibonite department. A report in the Haiti Gazette said the gang was trying to extort money from the local population and they resisted paying it. The massacre was retribution. The U.N. human rights office said gang members firing automatic rifles also reportedly set fire to at least 45 houses and 34 vehicles, forcing a number of residents to flee. At least 3,000 people have been displaced by the attack. A number of people were also wounded, including two gang members. Sixteen people suffered serious injuries, the U.N. said. The government said many of the injured are being treated at the Saint-Nicolas public hospital in Saint-Marc. "As gang violence continues to spread from the capital to other departments of Haiti, the secretary-general stresses the importance of the joint efforts undertaken by the Haitian National Police and the multinational security support mission," Antonio Guterres' spokesperson told reporters Friday. "Those efforts need to be supported." In June, a multinational security support mission, or MSS, began its first deployment of about 400 police from Kenya, which is also leading the mission. About 100 others from Jamaica and Belize have also been deployed to assist the embattled Haitian National Police in subduing armed gangs, which have been terrorizing the country's capital and some outer lying areas. Other countries are expected to contribute police officers to the force. The mission has been beset with delays and financial and equipment shortages. But it has had some success inside the capital. The government said agents from the Haitian National Police Anti-Gang Unit have been deployed as reinforcements to support teams already on the ground in Artibonite. Specialized police units supported by the MSS are also deploying to the area. Haiti has been rocked by instability since 2021, when President Jovenel Moise was assassinated. Prime Minister Ariel Henry then led the country until he announced his resignation in March. A transitional government is now in place with the goal of organizing free and fair elections. Haiti has not held elections since 2016. The country is facing a massive humanitarian crisis due to the violence. On Monday, international food monitors said more than half the country's population — 5.4 million people — are struggling to feed themselves. At least 6,000 displaced persons in shelters in the capital are facing catastrophic levels of hunger, while 2 million people are one step behind them.

washington — While the Belarusian government continues a long-running clampdown on use of the Belarusian language, exiled news outlets are leading the fight to keep their language — and cultural identity — alive. Although Belarusian has been the country’s official language since Belarus declared independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, there has been an ongoing process of Russification since President Alexander Lukashenko came to power in 1994.  That process has only accelerated since 2020 when Lukashenko — seen by some to be a puppet of Russian President Vladimir Putin — declared victory in an election that was widely viewed as fraudulent. Since then, the Belarusian government has grown increasingly hostile toward Belarusian as the language has become more and more associated with resistance toward Lukashenko’s rule.  As Minsk continues to grow closer to Moscow, Belarusian media outlets that left the country following the 2020 elections see it as their duty to help keep the Belarusian language alive through their reporting, multiple media leaders told VOA.  “It’s a strategic move to preserve the language, to preserve the culture, which is being actively attacked,” said Natalia Belikova, head of international cooperation at Press Club Belarus in Poland’s capital Warsaw.  Belarusian not illegal, but unwelcome Speaking Belarusian isn’t illegal in Belarus, but the government has long made clear its preference for Russian, which has been the other official language in Belarus since 1995. Belarusian is more similar to Ukrainian than Russian. Instead of outlawing Belarusian entirely, the government has taken steps like targeting Belarusian-language newspapers and bookstores. Classes in school are more often taught in Russian, and there aren’t any universities where Belarusian is the primary language. Government officials tend to speak Russian, and government documents are often in Russian, too.  “The presence of Belarusian language is vividly vanishing,” Belikova said. “‘Upsetting’ is probably a milder word for this. It’s really devastating.” A 2019 census found that around 60% of the population consider Belarusian their native language, but only about 28% use the language at home.  Still, since Belarusian isn’t banned, speaking it is one of the few remaining ways for people to safely signal their political beliefs and opposition to Lukashenko, multiple journalists said.  However, multiple analysts said doing so in public is likely to draw negative attention from authorities because the language is so closely associated with the resistance.  “Formally, it’s safe. It’s OK to speak Belarusian in Belarus. But in practice, well, it’s not safe,” Pavel Sviardlou, editor-in-chief of European Radio for Belarus, told VOA from Warsaw.  The Belarusian foreign ministry did not reply to VOA’s email requesting comment. As the Belarusian government works to suppress the Belarusian language in favor of Russian, leaders from prominent exiled outlets like European Radio for Belarus, Nasha Niva and Zerkalo say their outlets are prioritizing coverage in the Belarusian language. In the case of Nasha Niva, one of the oldest Belarusian newspapers, the outlet’s mission has long been to popularize the Belarusian language, culture and history, according to the newspaper’s director Nastassia Rouda. That mission has become more important since the contested 2020 election, after which hundreds of journalists fled the country to escape harassment and censorship.  “Who, if not us? This is the question,” Rouda told VOA from Lithuania.  Nasha Niva’s primary language is Belarusian, but the outlet also translates everything into Russian. European Radio for Belarus operates similarly.  “This is a chance to, for example, listen to Belarusian every day, to read in Belarusian every day. And, of course, to feel that the language is not dead,” Sviardlou said. The fight to preserve the Belarusian language goes hand in hand with the more obvious role that exiled media play — ensuring people still inside Belarus can access independent news about what’s happening.  “Only media like us, who are working from exile right now, can give some truthful information about the political situation. No one inside can do this,” Nasha Niva’s Rouda said.  Although Belarusian authorities block access to independent news sites, Belarusians still access them with circumvention tools like virtual private networks, or VPNs.  Despite the risks and the fact that the government spent about 50 million euros ($55 million) on propaganda in 2023 alone, it’s clear that many people inside Belarus, which has a population of about 9 million, still regularly access banned news sites.  The five biggest sites had over 17 million visits in December 2023, according to a 2024 JX Fund report. The news outlet Zerkalo, for instance, receives about 3 million unique visitors each month, with about 60% of them located inside Belarus, according to a 2024 Press Club Belarus report.  Zerkalo is the successor outlet of Tut.by, which was the largest independent news site in Belarus until authorities shut it down in 2021.  As the Belarus government grows ever closer with Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, exiled Belarusian media view their efforts as critical to maintaining a distinct Belarusian identity. The stakes are high, according to Aliaksandra Pushkina, a board member of Zerkalo. “If we lose our culture, our language, we really will be a part of Russia,” she told VOA  from Austria.  While exiled outlets are prioritizing Belarusian language coverage, Belarusian propaganda outlets inside the country primarily use Russian, according to Sviardlou.  “They don’t even try to work in Belarusian because they understand that no one will listen to them,” he said.  He asserted that Belarusian has taken on a different meaning, saying, “It is a language of truth.”

TAPACHULA, Mexico — An 11-year-old Egyptian girl and her 18-year-old sister were among those killed after Mexican army troops opened fire on a truck carrying migrants earlier this week, an official said Friday.  The sisters, and four other migrants from countries including Peru and Honduras, were killed Tuesday in the southern state of Chiapas.  An official in the state’s prosecutor's office confirmed the identification of the two sisters and said their father was wounded in the shooting but survived.  Federal officials, including newly inaugurated President Claudia Sheinbaum, again refused Friday to confirm the ages or genders of the six migrants killed in the shooting, which occurred on Sheinbaum’s first day in office. Soldiers claimed they heard shots and returned fire, and officials have studiously avoided saying the migrants were killed by army gunfire. However, that appears to be the case, and two soldiers have been relieved of duty and turned over to civilian prosecutors for questioning.  The killings placed in doubt Sheinbaum's statements over her first days in office that human rights will be at the forefront of her administration's policies.  Asked about her immigration policy Friday, Sheinbaum said only that the killings were under investigation and doubled down on earlier claims that the government doesn't violate human rights.  “First of all, human rights are respected,” Sheinbaum said. “That is very important, that is why it is called a humanistic immigration policy, because human rights are at the forefront.”  Three of the dead were from Egypt, and one each from Peru and Honduras. The other has apparently not yet been identified.  Ten other migrants were wounded in the shooting. but there has not been any information on their conditions.  Peru’s foreign ministry confirmed one Peruvian was killed and demanded “an urgent investigation” into the killings. Peru and Mexico have had damaged relations since a 2022 diplomatic spat.  It was the worst killing of migrants by authorities in Mexico since police in the northern state of Tamaulipas killed 17 migrants in 2021.  Sheinbaum has said the shootings are being investigated to see if any commanders might face punishment, and noted “a situation like this cannot be repeated.”  But she left out any mention of that Thursday at a ceremony at a Mexico City army base, where army and navy commanders pledged their loyalty to her in front of massed combat vehicles and hundreds of troops.  “In our country, there is not a state of siege, there are no violations of human rights,” Sheinbaum said, as she promised wage increases for soldiers and sailors.  The shootings Tuesday occurred near the city of Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala.  The Defense Department initially said that soldiers claimed to have heard shots as a convoy of three trucks passed the soldiers’ position.  The Attorney General’s Office later said all three trucks ignored orders to stop and tried to flee. The soldiers pursued them and reported coming under fire from the convoy and returned fire.  One of the trucks eventually stopped, the driver reportedly fled, and a total of 33 migrants were found aboard, from the three countries already mentioned, as well as Nepal, Cuba, India and Pakistan.  The Defense Department said four of the migrants were found dead, and 12 wounded. Two of the wounded later died of their injuries. Sheinbaum refused to say whether any weapons were found in the migrants’ truck.  The area is a common route for smuggling migrants, who are often packed into crowded freight trucks. It has also been the scene of drug cartel turf battles, and the department said the trucks “were similar to those used by criminal groups in the region.”  Irineo Mujica, a migrant rights activist, said he doubted the migrants or their smugglers opened fire.  “It is really impossible that these people would have been shooting at the army,” Mujica said. “Most of the time, they get through by paying bribes.”  If the deaths were the result of army fire, as appears likely, it could prove a major embarrassment for Sheinbaum.  The new president has followed the lead of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in giving the armed forces extraordinary powers in law enforcement, state-run companies, airports, trains and construction projects. 

As the one-year anniversary of the October 7th incursion into Israel by Hamas approaches, the region is closer to all-out war. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led Friday prayers in Tehran as tensions with Israel and the West rise. A look inside Gaza at the daily routines of people whose communities have been destroyed, also a look at health care in Sudan in the midst of a brutal civil war where hospitals have become targets. More Russian attacks in Kyiv as President Zelenskyy asks Joe Biden for the same help shooting down Iranian drones that he is giving to Israel, and there’s an election in Tunisia

manila, philippines — The Philippines on Friday denounced China 's alleged assault of Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea, where Manila and Beijing are also locked in violent confrontations that have led to fears of armed conflict. Vietnam has accused "Chinese law enforcement forces" of beating the 10 fishermen with iron bars and robbing them Sunday of thousands of dollars' worth of fish and equipment off the Paracel Islands. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson acknowledged an incident took place there but disputed the Vietnamese version of the events. China and Vietnam both claim the Paracel Islands, but the Philippines does not. “We strongly condemn the violent and illegal actions of Chinese maritime authorities against Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands on September 29, 2024,” Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said in a statement. He described the "unjustified assault" as an "alarming act with no place in international relations." The Philippine foreign department also issued a statement Friday saying it was aware of the "serious incident." “The Philippines has consistently denounced the use of force, aggression and intimidation in the South China Sea, and emphasized the need for actors to exercise genuine self-restraint,” it said. "It is a paramount obligation to ensure the safety at sea of vessels and their crew, especially fisherfolk." The incident came just over three months after Chinese law enforcement personnel armed with knives, sticks and an axe attacked Filipino troops attempting to resupply a Philippine garrison on Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly archipelago. The Chinese seized guns and other equipment and damaged Philippine boats, while a Filipino sailor lost a thumb in the June 17 melee. Chinese coast guard and other vessels have in recent months also rammed, water-cannoned and blocked Philippine government vessels on several occasions around Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal in the Spratlys, as well as Scarborough Shoal in another area of the sea. Beijing claims most of the South China Sea and has for years sought to expand its presence in contested areas there, brushing aside an international ruling that its claim to most of the waterway has no legal basis. It has built artificial islands armed with missile systems and runways for fighter jets, and deployed vessels that the Philippines says harass its ships and block its fishermen.

Washington — After Iran fired a barrage of 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for the assassination of the leaders of two of its proxies and one of its senior military leaders, people in China went online, inundating social media platforms with a wide range of reactions to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.  On Weibo, a platform akin to X with added censorship, most users condemned Israel, while some voices called for a show of support in contrast with mainstream anti-Israel and anti-U.S. opinions.  Chinese official government media leveraged the opportunity to promote national pride, highlighting the successful evacuation of Chinese citizens from Lebanon.     Chinese officials call for peace   In official statements, Chinese representatives made appeals for sovereignty and peace, with a focus on preventing Chinese citizens from being caught in the crossfire of the intensifying conflict.    Responding to a question about Iran’s attack on Israel, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson simply said that China opposed the intrusion upon Lebanese sovereign rights and cited Gaza as the “root cause of this round of turmoil in the Middle East.”   The Chinese Embassy in Israel also issued a message following the bombardment, calling on Chinese citizens in Israel to take precautions and reminding Chinese citizens not to travel to Israel.   “Be prepared for various attacks involving missiles, rockets, and drones, and enter the bomb shelter as soon as the alarm sounds. Do not go out unless necessary, and avoid going to high-risk areas and sensitive locations such as the north."   Such warnings seemingly resonated with Chinese Weibo users. The search term on the Chinese social media site, “# Remind our country’s citizens to not travel to Israel for the time being” reached 33.6 million clicks and some 3,700 discussions and thread posts. For each topic with a hashtag on Weibo, the site shows the total clicks and comments.  The government prioritized evacuating Chinese citizens in Lebanon. The popularity of this move was reflected online, with the phrase, “# Chinese planes flew from Lebanon amid gunfire to evacuate Chinese citizens” attracting 28.5 million clicks and more than 3,700 comments.  Official news service China Daily posted a video of 146 Chinese citizens in Lebanon and five of their foreign family members walking out of the cabin of the Air China charter flight that evacuated them to Beijing. The video featured passengers waving Chinese flags as they entered the airport. One woman said, “This war is ruthless, but our country is full of love.”    Online commenters point fingers   "# Israeli air base hit by Iranian missile" was another hot search topic on Weibo, which garnered 16.3 million clicks and more than 1,000 comments.   Nearly 300 commenters expressed opinions on a post from Chinese Central Television reporting the news of the Iranian attack. A slim majority condemned Israel, some cracked jokes about Iran and the attack, and a small number expressed support for Israel.    "Israel is really a demon country," said one user, while another said, “Hit Israel hard. It will be a relief.”   Striking a different tone, user “Master Ji Xian” said, “We firmly support Israel in eradicating all evil and eliminating terrorists.”    An article posted by Sina News attracted more than 113,000 comments, which overwhelmingly condemned Israel and criticized the United States.   “Iran struck too late,” replied one user. Another wrote, "A group of Israelis is disturbing the peace in the Middle East. Without the support of the United States, would they have such courage?"    Despite the dominating anti-Israel sentiment on Weibo, some discussions on WeChat, which has relatively looser regulations on speech, show a different side of Chinese public opinion.   WeChat public account “Vision Talk” published an article titled "Iran launches 200 missiles to attack Israel, Russia collectively shoots and kills 16 Ukrainian prisoners of war." Many of the 150 comments on the post expressed support for Ukraine and Israel.    “Ukraine should learn from Israel and track down every last murderer,” one commenter wrote. Another user replied, “There will be no peace in the Middle East until the Iranian villain is destroyed.”  Katherine Michaelson contributed to this report.

stavanger, norway — Wars, a refugee crisis, famine and artificial intelligence could all be recognized when Nobel Prize announcements begin next week under a shroud of violence. The prize week coincides with the October 7 anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel, which began a year of bloodshed and war across the Middle East. The literature and science prizes could be immune. But the peace prize, which recognizes efforts to end conflict, will be awarded in an atmosphere of ratcheting international violence — if awarded at all. "I look at the world and see so much conflict, hostility and confrontation, I wonder if this is the year the Nobel Peace Prize should be withheld," said Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. As well as events roiling the Middle East, Smith cites the war in Sudan and risk of famine there, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and his institute's research showing that global military spending is increasing at its fastest pace since World War II. "It could go to some groups which are making heroic efforts but are marginalized," Smith said. "But the trend is in the wrong direction. Perhaps it would be right to draw attention to that by withholding the peace prize this year." Withholding the Nobel Peace is not new. It has been suspended 19 times in the past, including during the world wars. The last time it was not awarded was in 1972. However, Henrik Urdal, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, says withdrawal would be a mistake in 2024, saying the prize is "arguably more important as a way to promote and recognize important work for peace." Civil grassroot groups, and international organizations with missions to mitigate violence in the Middle East could be recognized. Nominees are kept secret for 50 years, but nominators often publicize their picks. Academics at the Free University Amsterdam said they have nominated the Middle East-based organizations EcoPeace, Women Wage Peace and Women of the Sun for peace efforts between Israelis and Palestinians. Urdal believes it's possible the committee could consider the Sudan Emergency Response Rooms, a group of grassroots initiatives providing aid to stricken Sudanese facing famine and buffeted by the country's brutal civil war. The announcements begin Monday with the physiology or medicine prize, followed on subsequent days by the physics, chemistry, literature and peace awards. The Peace Prize announcement will be made on Friday by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo, while all the others will be announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. The prize in economics will be announced the following week on October 14. New technology, possibly artificial intelligence, could be recognized in one or more of the categories. Critics of AI warn the rise of autonomous weapons shows the new technology could mean additional peace-shattering misery for many people. Yet AI has also enabled scientific breakthroughs that are tipped for recognition in other categories. David Pendlebury, head of research analysis at Clarivate's Institute for Scientific Information, says scientists from Google Deepmind, the AI lab, could be among those under consideration for the chemistry prize. The company's artificial intelligence, AlphaFold, "accurately predicts the structure of proteins," he said. It is already widely used in several fields, including medicine, where it could one day be used to develop a breakthrough drug. Pendlebury spearheads Clarivate's list of scientists whose papers are among the world's most cited, and whose work it says are ripe for Nobel recognition. "AI will increasingly be a part of the panoply of tools that researchers use," Pendlebury said. He said he would be extremely surprised if a discovery "firmly anchored in AI" did not win Nobel prizes in the next 10 years.

NAIROBI, Kenya — Supporters and opponents of Kenya's deputy president clashed Friday at public forums over an impeachment motion against him, which was introduced in parliament by the ruling alliance this week. Rigathi Gachagua is accused of supporting anti-government protests in June and of being involved in corruption and other irregularities, charges he denies.  A motion for the impeachment of Gachagua was proposed in parliament Tuesday and Kenyans were given until Friday to fill out public participation forms at their constituencies. Public forums are being held across the country to discuss the impeachment.  In the capital, Nairobi, a public forum at the Bomas of Kenya turned violent as supporters of President William Ruto clashed with those supporting Gachagua. Chairs were thrown in the auditorium and an activist Morara Kebaso, known for exposing stalled government projects, said he had been injured.  In central Kenya’s Nyeri county, police clashed with supporters of the deputy president as they chanted that there would be no president if his deputy is impeached. The two were elected on a joint ticket.  In Nyandarua county, opponents were called out as being traitors and were chased out of the community hall.  Some 291 legislators, more than the 117 constitutional requirement, signed the impeachment motion before it was introduced, but several of them from the deputy president’s home turf say they no longer support the motion after hearing contrary views from their constituents.  “If the deputy president is guilty, then his boss the president is equally guilty,” a female supporter told Citizen TV.  Gachagua is facing impeachment on 10 grounds that include corruption, ethnic discrimination and contradicting government policies.  He has maintained that he is innocent and has vowed to fight the impeachment motion.  The high court Thursday declined to stop Friday’s public participation and set next Wednesday as the date for the hearing.  Ruto has not weighed in on his deputy’s impeachment debate.  He is on record in the earlier days of his presidency saying he would not publicly humiliate his deputy, alluding to the troubled relationship he had with his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta during their second term in office.  The senate is expected to hear the impeachment motion Tuesday. 

GENEVA — As the conflict in Gaza enters its second year, the World Health Organization is calling for an end to the "unspeakable suffering" of civilians in Israel and the region and for health care to be protected and not attacked. The WHO says the horrific attacks by Hamas militants and other armed groups in Israel on October 7 of last year, have unleashed a chain of events that have caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths and injuries, as well as the displacement of millions of people in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and now in Lebanon. Dr. Michel Thieren, special WHO representative to Israel, told journalists at a briefing in Geneva Friday that for Israel, the October 7 massacres mark an event as significant and agonizing as the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the United States. Ten thousand people remain buried under the rubble," he said. "The health system has suffered immensely from repeated attacks and an ongoing shortage of supplies, medicines, fuel, and staff." The WHO said there have been at least 516 attacks on health care in Gaza, resulting in 765 deaths. It says only half of Gaza's hospitals are partially operational and 43% of primary health care centers are functional. It notes many essential health services are unavailable, including Gaza's only limb reconstruction center and sole psychiatric hospital. Other critical services, such as oncology and MRI services, specialized pediatric surgery and endocrinology services also are out of commission, "At least 24,090 people are suffering from life-changing injuries due to the conflict, with no access to rehabilitation or specialized care," the WHO's Ayadil Saparbekov said. "We are deeply concerned about the conflict's impact on mental health in Gaza, where more than 485,000 people had already been diagnosed with mental disorders before the war." The WHO flags malnutrition as another major concern. It said more than 20,000 children have been admitted for malnutrition treatment since January, including 4,437 for severe acute malnutrition, a condition that can lead to death if left untreated. The U.N. health agency warns communicable diseases are a significant public health threat, with cases of acute watery diarrhea and acute respiratory infections accounting for more than 80% of diseases reported during the first eight months of 2024. "The poor water, sanitation, and hygiene situation, along with overcrowding in  shelters, are the primary drivers of these diseases, Saparbekov said. "These conditions are expected to worsen during winter, likely leading to a further rise in cases." On a more positive note, he mentioned that preparations are underway for the second round of a polio vaccination campaign, scheduled to begin October 14 and end October 29. "We have communicated these dates to the Israeli authorities, and we are having a  meeting on Sunday to see whether this will be confirmed. We estimate that over 500,000 children between the ages of zero to 10 years will be vaccinated with the novel oral polio vaccine. "In addition to the polio vaccinations, the children also will receive a dose of vitamin A to boost their immune system," he said. WHO officials warn that repeated evacuation orders by Israel and ongoing hostilities continue to disrupt humanitarian operations in Gaza. As the grim one year anniversary of Hamas' terror attack on Israel nears, they are calling for "effective deconfliction and protection of health care, safe access to health facilities, and sustained aid flow into and across Gaza" to assist the many in desperate need.

There is just one month to go in the U.S. presidential race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. VOA Correspondent Scott Stearns looks at the state of the race.

kyiv, ukraine — Ukrainian feminist activists staged a topless protest Friday outside the Embassy of Iran, which Kyiv and the West say is arming Russia. Ukraine's Femen group is a feminist art collective that has for years staged stunts in Ukraine and abroad, with its trademark move being women appearing with their chests bare, protest slogans written across their bodies. Kyiv has branded Iran an "accomplice" in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and regularly reports finding fragments of Iranian Shahed drones used by Moscow in attacks targeting civilian infrastructure. AFP saw two activists take their shirts off near the Iranian Embassy building in Kyiv, chanting and displaying anti-Iran and anti-Russia slogans written on their bodies. Western governments have accused Iran of supplying Moscow with both drones and missiles, which Tehran has repeatedly denied. At the U.N. last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced Russia involving authoritarian states Iran and North Korea — also widely believed to be arming Russia — in Moscow's more than two-year invasion of his country. "Russia has no legitimate reason — none at all — for making Iran and North Korea de facto accomplices in its criminal war in Europe, with their weapons killing us, killing Ukrainians," Zelenskyy said. Western countries have imposed sanctions on Iran's air transport links over its alleged supply of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. Femen, which campaigns for women's rights and against sexism and conservative Orthodoxy, originated in Ukraine but now also has branches in other countries. It has staged numerous stunts, including two of its activists lunging at Russian President Vladimir Putin on a visit to Germany in 2013 shouting "dictator!"